February 2023
Horizon Racing Wins Gold at Sarasota Invitational
Team meet-up, coastal rowing, flat-water racing, and first time in an ocean rowing shell!
In an action-packed weekend in Sarasota, Florida, the Horizon Racing team got to convene in person for the first time. While Hannah, Phil, and Will were friends prior to forming the ocean rowing team, the three had never met Hunter in person. With much anticipation and excitement, the crew was pleased to come together for a weekend of rowing fun, which included coastal rowing, racing at Sarasota Invitational, and a meet-up with Chantelle from Salty Science.
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Coastal Rowing with Liteboat
Coastal Rowing USA's Jim and Shelley Henderson took the team out for a coastal row in Sarasota's Lido Key. The outing allowed the team to row together for the first time in a Liteboat 4x+. With a race in Peru on the horizon, it was a great opportunity for the team to test out line-ups, get some coastal experience, and bond on the water for the first time!
Sarasota Invitational
With a coastal quad row under their belt, the team switched back to flat-water rowing to compete at Sarasota Invitational. The team raced in multiple events, including the Men's 2x, Women's 2x, Mixed 2x, and Men's 4x - collecting medals throughout! The day of racing culminated in the team's priority race, the Mixed 4x, where Hunter, Hannah, Phil, and Will got to row as a team against some tough, national competition. Despite no practice in the lineup, the team prevailed with a solid win.
A Taste of Ocean Rowing
The weekend concluded with a trip to Tampa to visit Chantelle with Salty Science, an ocean rowing team that is taking on the World's Toughest Row Atlantic 2023. For Hunter, Hannah, Phil, and Will, it was their first time interacting with an ocean rowing shell - and the experience did not disappoint! The team got to row in Tampa Bay and test out all three rowing positions in the R45, steer the boat, and get a taste of the bow and stern cabins. It was fun, exhilarating, and eye-opening. Huge thank you to Chantelle and the whole Salty Science team!
